The present invention relates generally to computer apparatus and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to a motorized docking structure used to releasably receive a notebook computer and operably connect it to desktop computer peripheral equipment such as a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Portable, battery-powered notebook computers have become increasingly popular over the last several years due to their light weight and small size that permit them to be easily hand-carried in an ordinary briefcase and used by business travelers in cramped spaces, such as on airline seat back trays, lacking electrical plug-in facilities. The modern notebook computer typically has incorporated therein both hard and floppy disc drives, a monitor screen built into its lid portion, and a keyboard built into its main body portion. It is thus a fully self-contained computer able to be conveniently used, for at least short periods of time, in situations and locations in which the use of a much larger desktop computer is simply not feasible.
As is well known, however, even state-of-the-art notebook computers have certain limitations and disadvantages, arising from their otherwise desirable diminutive sizes, compared to their much larger desktop computer counterparts. For example, the compact keyboard of a notebook computer is often considerably less comfortable to use for extended periods of time compared to the more spacious separate keyboards normally provided with desktop computers.
Additionally, to reduce the space requirements for the typical notebook computer keyboard, many of its keys, that would have but a single function on a desktop computer keyboard, are provided with multiple functions which can be confusing to a user switching back and forth between desktop and notebook computers. Moreover, compared to its desktop computer counterpart, the notebook computer monitor typically does not provide its viewer with as sharp a display image. After an extended computing session, this reduction in display clarity can cause the computer user to experience at least some degree of eye strain. Another disadvantage of portable computers is that, due to their small size, they typically do not provide access for expansion cards such as, for example, network, sound, graphics accelerator and multi-media cards which desktop computer units are conventionally configured to receive.
Because of these shortcomings inherent in notebook computers, it is a common practice for their owners to also purchase a desktop computer system for home or office use. A typical scenario for these two-computer owners, after returning home after using their notebook computer on a business trip, is to transfer their files, data, spreadsheets and the like from their notebook computer to their desktop computer and continue working on the initiated project or projects using the larger and more comfortable desktop peripheral equipment such as the external monitor, keyboard and mouse.
The task of effecting this data transfer from a notebook computer to the desktop computer (and vice versa in preparation for a subsequent road trip) is not a particularly convenient one for the computer user. It is typically accomplished by the often time consuming method of (1) inserting a floppy disc into the notebook computer, (2) copying a portion of the data from the notebook computer hard drive onto the inserted floppy disc, (3) removing the floppy disc from the notebook computer, (4) inserting the removed floppy disc into the desktop computer, (5) copying the data from the floppy disc onto the hard drive of the desktop computer, and then (6) repeating steps (1) through (5), as necessary, until all of the desired data is transferred from the notebook computer to the desktop computer.
Alternatively, various software is available for use in a notebook computer to download data therefrom to a desktop computer through a cable interconnected between the serial ports on the notebook and desktop computers. This procedure, while somewhat more convenient than laboriously shuffling floppy discs back and forth between the two computers, has other disadvantages. For example, it requires the additional purchase and installation of the transfer software which occupies space in the notebook hard drive--space which is often at a premium in the relatively small hard drives typically provided in notebook computers.
Moreover, each time data is to be transferred from the notebook computer to the desktop computer, a cable must be interconnected between the two computers and subsequently disconnected. This can be a rather awkward task since the serial port on a desktop computer is typically located on its back side in the midst of a jumble of other cables.
In addition to the inconvenience of these conventional methods of transferring data back and forth between notebook and desktop computers there is, of course, the considerable expense entailed in purchasing two complete computer systems to provide both the compactness and portability of a notebook computer and the greater capacity and use comfort of a desktop computer. Some of this expense may be avoided by purchasing (in addition to the notebook computer) only desktop computer peripheral equipment--such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse and external hard drive--for home or office use.
When the user works at his home or office station he connects the notebook computer to the desktop computer peripheral equipment, using the necessary interconnect cables, to fashion a hybrid computer system utilizing the notebook computer CPU in conjunction with the desktop computer peripheral devices. While this alternative approach is less expensive than purchasing two complete computer systems, it is highly inconvenient due to the number of cables that must be connected between the notebook computer and the desktop peripherals, to "construct" the hybrid system, and later be disconnected to free the notebook computer for travel use. Additionally, the jumble of interconnect cables sprawling across the desk or table area creates a decidedly disorderly and unattractive work station.
In response to these problems and inconveniences, interconnect structures commonly referred to as "docking stations" have been previously proposed. A docking station is basically a housing structure, considerably larger than a notebook computer and designed to be left in place on a home or office desktop, to which the notebook computer may be removably connected by releasably interengaging mating plug and socket portions fixedly secured to the notebook computer and the associated docking station.
The docking station is typically connected to external desktop peripheral devices, such as a monitor, keyboard and mouse, that remain in place on the desktop work station. Disposed within the docking station housing are various components that serve to operatively connect the notebook computer to these desktop peripheral devices when the notebook computer is plugged into the docking station. However, the docking station is not provided with a central processing unit. Instead, when the notebook computer is "docked" in this manner, its central processing unit is utilized in the resulting desktop computer work station and the desktop keyboard, monitor and mouse are used in any subsequent desktop computing tasks. After these tasks are completed, the notebook computer can simply be unplugged from the docking station and carried away for use of the removed notebook computer in its usual self-contained mode.
Compared to the previous necessity of purchasing a complete desktop computer system in addition to a notebook computer, the use of this docking station concept provides several distinct advantages. For example, since the docking station is not furnished with its own central processing unit (using, in place thereof, the notebook computer CPU) the overall cost of providing both portable and home or office-based computer work stations is substantially reduced.
Additionally, the previous inconvenience of transferring data from the notebook computer to the desktop system is essentially eliminated since the requisite notebook/desktop computer interface for this data transfer is achieved simply by plugging the notebook computer into the docking station (which may have an internal hard drive or be connected to an external hard drive) without the need for switching floppy discs back and forth or using an external interconnection cable. Moreover, from a connection convenience standpoint, the use of the plug-in docking station is clearly preferable to laboriously connecting the notebook computer directly to desktop peripheral devices using several separate interconnect cables.
Despite their cost reduction and convenience advantages, previously proposed docking stations have tended to have certain problems associated therewith relating to their physical connection to the associated notebook computer. For example, since the relatively small plug-in interface between the docking station and the notebook computer must effect a multitude of electrical connections between the internal operating components in the notebook computer and the docking station housing, mating high density pin connector structures (one on the notebook computer and one on the docking station) are typically used to provide the plug-in computer/docking station mechanical interconnection.
A typical method of creating this interconnection is to place the notebook computer on the docking station, with the mating pin connectors in a facing, spaced apart relationship with one another, and then manually pushing the notebook computer toward the docking station connector pin structure to create the plug-in connection. The need to precisely align the facing connectors, coupled with the high mating force requirement associated with these high density pin connectors, typically requires that this manual connection task be carefully and precisely performed to avoid potential damage to the connector pin structures. The same care must be exercised, and a considerable amount of manual force exerted, in disconnecting the notebook computer from the docking station to avoid connector pin damage.
Manual latching mechanisms have been proposed to exert a mechanically advantaged connection force on the notebook computer and to hold the docked computer in place on the expansion chassis. These latching systems are typically operated by placing the notebook computer on the docking station in a spaced relationship with the docking station connector structure and then pivoting a latch structure against the computer to drive its connector pin structure into mating engagement with the docking station connector pin structure. While this reduces the manual mating force that needs to be exerted, connector pin structure alignment problems can still arise if care is not exercised. Additionally, a high manual force is still required to subsequently unplug the notebook computer from the docking station.
Another problem typically associated with conventional manually operable docking station systems is that is possible to dock the portable computer while the computer is on and the docking station is off, or vice versa. This creates, in either situation, a voltage mismatch between the mating computer and docking station electrical connector structures that can damage the input buffers in the computer or docking station as the case may be.
It can be seen from the foregoing that it would be desirable to provide a portable computer/expansion chassis docking system having improved computer docking and undocking apparatus and methods. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such a system.